The Stranger Essay Outline

Thesis: Meursault functions as a stranger from society; though he presents himself as a very transparent character through the honest reflection of his thoughts, his deviation from expected social behavior obscures the interpretation of his actions, forcing the reader to compare him to various foils in the novel in an effort to bring clarity to his underlying nature.

Meursault: straightforward in the sense that he relays his exact thoughts to the reader

·         Directness of narrative style

·         Insight into mind

ð  Each character in The Stranger reflects a fundamental human trait that Meursault lacks. By juxtaposing Meursault with such obvious examples of emotion, his very nature is called into question as being unnatural and inhuman.

Foils:

·         Pérez: grief

o   During the trial Pérez explains why he cannot accurately comment on Meursault’s behavior at his mother’s funeral: “You understand, I was too sad. So I didn’t see anything. My sadness made it impossible to see anything. Because for me it was a very great sadness” (91).

§  Pérez still seems distraught over Maman’s death, focusing on his profound “sadness” over the event. Meursault, at the time, instead paid a disproportionate amount of attention on the sun and the environment around him. Pérez was not less affected by the heat; indeed, he ends up fainting from heat stroke. However, he can focus on his emotion and grief over the passing of someone he cared about rather than the discomfort of his surroundings.

o   At the end of the weekend after Maman’s funeral, Meursault realizes “that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that [he] was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed” (24).

§  Meursault does not carry any feelings for his mother into his life. He is very matter-of-fact about her death, choosing not to dwell on it. Most people are affected by the death of a loved one, yet Meursault moves on because she no longer plays a role in his life.

·         Marie: love

o   Meursault recalls a morning with Marie: “A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean anything but that I didn’t think so” (35).

§  Marie tries to express her own feelings for Meursault by asking if he loves her. She desires reciprocation for her love. However, Meursault does not give this to her. Throughout everything she stands by him, yet he does not express appreciation for her actions.

o   In jail, Meursault “was tormented by [his] desire for a woman. It was only natural; [he] was young. [He] never thought specifically of Marie” (77).

§  Meursault does not care for Marie because she is Marie; he cares for Marie because she is a woman who has expressed a desire to be with him. He does not love her, nor does he pretend or try to love her.

·         Boss: ambition

o   When his boss offers him a job in Paris, Meursault “said yes but that it was really all the same to [him]” (41).

§  A normal young person would be excited with the possibility of moving up in the world. The reaction that the boss expects is some sort of gratitude and enthusiasm. However, Meursault does not see the job as an opportunity he wants to take; it is just something different.

·         Céleste: loyalty

o   At the trial Céleste speaks in Meursault’s defense, testifying that Meursault is a good man and that the incident was just “bad luck.” He turns to Meursault after he speaks, and it “looked to [Meursault] as if his eyes were glistening and his lips were trembling. He seemed to be asking [Meursault] what else he could do” (92-93).  

§  Meursault does not even acknowledge Céleste’s look. Although he feels stirrings of gratitude for the risk Céleste took in vouching for him, he does not express this gratitude. Loyalty is not just appreciation for someone; it is standing by them and showing your support. Céleste has demonstrated his support, but Meursault cannot even thank him for it.

·         Raymond: indulgence, desire, superiority, passion, rage, urge… need to think of right word!

o   Raymond describes how he treated his mistress when he accused her of cheating on him: “I’d smack her around a little, but nice-like, you might say. She’s scream a little. I’d close the shutters and it always ended the same way.  But this time it was for real. And if you ask me, she still hasn’t got what she has coming” (31).

o   Meursault agrees to write a letter to Raymond’s mistress because he “didn’t have any reason not to please him” (32).

§  Raymond chooses not to follow morally acceptable behaviors whereas Meursault lacks a moral compass altogether. Raymond clearly knows that his actions are not tolerable, so he tries to justify them. Meursault, on the other hand, does not try to discourage Raymond because he simply “has no reason not to.”

·         Magistrate: faith

o   The magistrate that visits Meursault in prison wants to help him repent, explaining “that he believed in God, that is was his conviction that no man was so guilty that God would not forgive him, but in order for that to happen a man must repent and in so doing become like a child whose heart is open and ready to embrace all” (68).

§  Meursault does not even really pay attention to the magistrate’s appeal. Meursault does not believe in God, whereas the magistrate’s entire life is based on his beliefs. The magistrate’s focus in life is to affect change in other people while Meursault does not care about other people at all unless they directly affect him.

·         Chaplain: hope

o   The chaplain asks Meursault, “Have you really no hope at all? And do you really live with the thought that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?” (117).

o   Meursault responds with “Yes” (117).

§  Most people need a motivation in life. For the chaplain, this motivation is hope in the afterlife. He is so convinced and secure in his belief that his soul will live on in heaven that he cannot fathom someone, like Meursault, who does not have a hope like this directing his life.

ð  Meursault essentially functions as a foil to any given character; he is so far removed from societal norms that he is a foil to society.

WHY is Meursault estranged from humanity??

·         Lacks EMPATHY

·         Meursault does not see the need to act a certain way because society expects it from him.

·         He is always on the outside looking in, but he does not recognize this fact. Meursault can accurately pinpoint others’ emotions and desires, yet he misses the connection between these feelings and how they relate to himself.

In the end, what is there to Meursault? Not much. Perhaps that is the point Camus is trying to make with him. You can live your life and not care about other people. You live, and you die. Nothing really affects you; nothing affects Meursault, after all. Yet when you care, when you empathize, you gain humanity. It is a choice to let society know you, just as it was a choice for Meursault to remain as a stranger. Is there a better choice? We seem to think the better choice is embracing emotion. However, Meursault is at peace with himself. We probably cannot stop ourselves from feeling emotion, yet when we realize that we are consciously making this choice, we can accept our lives and live. (This was completely random, not really in the essay. I didn’t want to forget my train of thought though.)